


On the proper Versian etiquette in kissing

by Himmelreich



Series: Every Wednesday, I'm here, in jail [2]
Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 19:05:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3821464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himmelreich/pseuds/Himmelreich
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“So, what’s it this time? More UFE politics? Physics? The meaning of the universe?”</i>
  <br/>
  <i>“Actually, no. I wanted to ask you something more practical.”</i>
  <br/>
  <i>Slaine took a sip of tea, eyebrows slightly raised at Inaho signalling him to go ahead. It was a fixed part of their odd arrangement, exchanging information.</i>
  <br/>
  <i>“I was wondering about the Versian etiquette in kissing.” </i>
</p><p>EDIT: Now as the most wonderful <a href="http://vennieandroxie.tumblr.com/post/117777064677/5-page-oragnebat-doujin-making-out-of-this">doujin</a> . Thank you so much _(:3 」∠)</p>
            </blockquote>





	On the proper Versian etiquette in kissing

“You’re spacing out.”  
Inaho blinked and noticed Slaine had obviously stopped talking about the inner workings of a Skycarrier engine and was looking at him reproachfully.  
“Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”  
“You always are.” 

Slaine turned his attention towards refilling his cup of tea standing on the small table between them. They were sitting in the walled garden behind the house that Inaho in the rare conversations with people who knew referred to as “the Count’s residence” for lack of a nicer term. It looked little like a prison from the outside, if you ignored the barred windows and armed guards, and of course the specifics on the person living there under heavily surveilled house arrest. 

“So, what’s it this time? More UFE politics? Physics? The meaning of the universe?”  
“Actually, no. I wanted to ask you something more practical.”  
Slaine took a sip of tea, eyebrows slightly raised at Inaho signalling him to go ahead. It was a fixed part of their odd arrangement, exchanging information.  
“I was wondering about the Versian etiquette in kissing.” 

Slaine apparently inhaled some of the tea in shock, almost dropping the cup and coughing, only pulling himself together after a few seconds and with a completely bewildered facial expression.  
“Excuse me?” he wheezed, carefully putting the cup back down on the saucer.  
“I’ve been attending a lot of meetings including the Vers nobility recently,” Inaho began explaining, “and I noticed there seems to be quite the difference in how they greet another, including your weird habit of distributing kisses on the hand.” 

“Aah, that’s what you meant, I see.”  
Slaine looked oddly relieved, seemingly relaxing and leaning back in his chair.  
“Well, I’m sure you’re aware of the importance of the ritual in which the Knights receive Aldnoah from the Emperor of Vers. It marks their legitimisation of power and status, so that kind of kiss has the connotation of absolute loyalty and servitude in Vers’ culture and is not given lightly.”  
“So, only the lower-ranking party would kiss the other?” Inaho asked, taking mental notes. 

“Yes. The noble of higher standing can offer that type of greeting as a sign of trust, but they don’t have to. Usually, they just expect the other to kneel and salute.”  
“That hand-to-the-heart thing, yes.”  
Inaho echoed the gesture, and Slaine huffed. Apparently he considered that minus the kneeling, it had ended up looking somewhat ridiculous on the other. Inaho did not really mind.  
“But even if they offer their hand for a symbolic kiss of loyalty and respect, you don’t really kiss it,” Slaine continued. “It’s really limited to the vow of tenure to the Emperor, in all other cases, you just-”

He stopped, looking down at his own hand on the table for a second before seemingly reconsidering the choice of demonstration tool, extending it towards Inaho palm-up across the table expectantly. Inaho blinked, but understanding the implicit request then without missing a beat laid his hand into Slaine’s. It was barely a noticeable grip the other had on him, his fingers smooth and warm against Inaho’s own.  
“So, you just _suggest_ a kiss,” Slaine continued calmly, pulling Inaho’s hand closer and lowering his head until his words were a sensible warmth against Inaho’s skin, Slaine’s lips just fractions from it, “without actually kissing.” 

He straightened up, eyes meeting Inaho’s again, and Inaho could have sworn there was a quizzical expression underlying Slaine’s perfectly polite appearance. Not that there would have been any reason for amusement on his expense, Inaho thought, ignoring the way he could feel his pulse quicken ever so slightly at the unusual proximity, instead focusing on remaining calm and not pulling his hand back on reflex.  
“I see,” he stated, even though for a second, he feared he had forgotten what exactly it had been he had inquired about, before he remembered. “That means even if it looked like actual kisses, they were just doing this to evoke a vow of loyalty. I was already wondering just how old-fashioned Vers still is, really.”

“Oh, that type of actual kiss still exists, also. It’s definitely a more intimate gesture, so you would probably only see it between members of nobility courting another. Though, the difference is quite noticeable.”  
Something passed over his face at that, and before Inaho could react, Slaine lowered his head again, and this time, Inaho felt the other’s lips briefly touch his skin, soft and light. Inaho jerked back his hand automatically, and Slaine actually had the nerve to laugh at his reaction, before settling on a smug smile and leaning back again.

“I couldn’t resist.”  
It was not an apology, Inaho noted, slightly annoyed both at his own embarrassingly immature reaction and Slaine’s obvious glee at having managed to undermine his composure successfully.  
“Don’t look so sullen, I told you, in general it’s a sign of respect and loyalty,” Slaine teased, still smiling. “And at least you’ll now be able to discern what a Versian noble thinks of you should they ever extend this sort of greeting to you.”  
“I suppose it was educational,” Inaho admitted with a shrug and a scowl, and decided to drop the topic for now. 

They finished their tea in between talking about how their mutual acquaintances were faring and how Slaine was spending his days, until Inaho noticed with a glance at his watch that it probably was about time to leave. They had not played a game of chess this time, and yet, he had still lost a battle of sorts, and some stubborn part of himself refused to leave this small victory to Slaine undisputed.  
Standing up and buttoning up his jacket again, he started his counter-charge. 

“I spent some time in the French UFE headquarters last month. It was quite interesting, in many regards.”  
Slaine had gotten up as well and was regarding him with apparent confusion at the shift in topic, but Inaho continued in a conversational tone.  
“Earth, too, has its many differences in greeting and parting gestures, you see.”  
Taking advantage of the fact that Slaine obviously was still trying to catch up with whatever Inaho wanted to express, he leaned in, kissing Slaine’s cheek, even though it was more of a fleeting touch of lips against his skin, really. 

Slaine instantly brought his hands up to firmly but gently push Inaho away, and Inaho noted with satisfaction that now it was Slaine’s turn to look vaguely flustered.  
“A bona fide French greeting would be three kisses, actually,” Inaho said with a smile, not bothering with hiding he was feeling quite triumphant at his successful retaliation.  
“You’re not French,” Slaine argued dryly.  
“And you’re no longer Versian nobility,” Inaho retorted. 

Slaine’s eyes narrowed just slightly at that, but then he smiled.  
“Touché,” he conceded, and shifted into a bow after Versian fashion. “I wish you a safe journey home, Kaizuka Inaho.”  
His tone was obviously mocking, but Inaho found he did not mind. It was part of their set sparring grounds now, no matter in which form. 

Walking out of the main entrance, Inaho decided for himself that he would jot down this day’s matches as one loss, one win each. Though, admittedly, if loss came with such agreeable consequences, it was not exactly something he would object to in the future.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is mainly me indulging requests to write more rather explicitly shippy scenarios, as it was easily combined with making fun of all that Versian pomp and circumstance and having both characters troll the other. You know, the kinds of things I enjoy writing most of all. As someone who greatly values their personal space, going to France really was an experience for me. I guess I would prefer kisses on the back of the hand, actually, so I remain with an Austrian _küss die Hand, schöne Frau_ , and only a minor trolling quota this time. ヽ(*´∀｀*)


End file.
